Propelling means for vessels.



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PROPELLING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEO.15, 1908.

958,020. Patelited May 17, 1910.

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Patented May 17, 1910,

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.li l/ PROPELLING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

APPLIOATIQN FILED 1330.15, 1908.

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ANBREW B GRAMAM 00., WOTQLITNDGRAFMRS, WASHINGYON. u. c.

JOSE]? SINIC, 0F BAKAR, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

PROPELLING MEANS FOR VESSELS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 15, 1908.

Patented May 171, 1910.

Serial No. 467,601.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnr SINIo, a citizen of Austria-Hungary, residing at Bakar, Croatia, Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Propelling Means for Vessels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for propelling vessels, whether surface vessels or submarine vessels, employing feathering paddles which during their rotation around the paddle shaft also make an angular movement relative to their own longitudinal axes, so that they present their entire surface to the water intermittently. According to the present invention the said paddles are arranged in window like openings in the keel of the vessel and revolve in a horizontal plane. This arrangement presents the advantage that no matter how rough the water may be, that is no matter how much the vessel may pitch, the .paddles will never be out of water, or when several sets of paddles are provided for instance at the fore and aft ends of the vessel at least one or more of the sets of paddles will remain under water. WVith this arrangement which enables the operative zone of the paddles to be varied as desired it is possible to turn the vessel in any direction without the aid of a rudder which is of great advantage especially for warships as no part of the vessel which is necessary for working is above water or even near the surface of the water; that is no target is offered for hostile shots. As it is thus possible to vary the operative zone of the propellers as desired the vessel may be moved broadside-on which is of special advantage in landing or when it is desired to approach other vessels; the arrangement further enables the vessel to be turned if desired without altering its position although the turning of the vessel may as a rule be dispensed with inasmuch as on account of the rudder being dispensed with, the vessel is equally adapted for moving backward and forward.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the invention Figure 1 is a part vertical sect-ion, part elevation of a vessel fitted with the improved propelling devices. Fig. 2 is a section and Fig. 3 a front elevation to an enlarged scale showing the means for actuating one set of paddles, and Fig. 4: is a part sectional plan thereof. Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically in cross section a submarine vessel equipped with devices for raising and lowering the same.

The vesselshown in Fig. l is provided with propelling means at the forward and aft ends, but it may be mentioned that two or more of such arrangements may be provided in each half of the vessel. As is evident the keel l which is of a suitable depth and in which the paddles are mounted is formed with window-like openings midway in which are mounted vertically the hollow shafts 8. Each shaft is led u wardly through the bottom 4:of the vesse and is mounted in suitable bearings, and rotated by suitable actuating mechanism, in the present case by means of suitable bevel gearing 5, 6. The paddles 7, two of which are provided for each shaft, are mounted on spindles 8 which are rotatable in tubular guiding sleeves 9 on the shafts 3 and are so connected with a positive guide that they present their entire surface to the water only during a definite part (about one quarter) of their rotation, that is they perform useful work during such interval but occupy a horizontal position during the rest of their rotation so that they can readily cut through the water and offer no resistance to the movement. This positive shifting of the paddle blades 7 is effected by a cylinder 10 with a groove 11 (or slot), which cylinder surrounds the shaft 3 concentrically and can be fixed in various positions.

Inside the cylinder 10 there are mounted in the shaft 3 in tubular guides 12 two cranks 13 the pins lL of which slide in a groove 11, or which pins are provided with rollers, not shown, which roll in a groove. At their ends within the interior of the hollow shaft 3, the cranks 13 each carry an arm 15 which is positively connected by means of a stay 16 with a corresponding arm 17 on the paddle spindles 18 so that the paddles will take up a position corresponding to the form of the groove 11. As useful work is performedby the paddles only during a quarter rotation the corresponding part of the groove only extends over one quarter of the circumference of the cylinder, while another part is intended for the idle motion of the paddles in horizontal position and the parts of the groove be tween the two parts aforesaid serve for bringing the paddles from one position to the other.

It is evident that when the cylinder 10 is shifted angularly and thereby the different parts of the groove are brought into a different position relative to the shaft 3, the operative zone will be shifted, that is the paddles will present their entire surface to the water at a different stage in their rotation and it is thus possible to alter the vessels course as desired. In small vessels a manually adjusting apparatus may be provided and .in larger vessels a motor driven or electrically driven controlling device may be used. According to the arrangement shown the cylinder 10 is for this purpose connected by a link 18 with a crank 19 which is provided with a set pin 20 entering one of a number of holes 21, Fig. 4, in a plate 22 covering the compartment in the vessel in which the propelling mechanism is inclosed, and thereby the cylinder can be secured in any desired position. The cylinder can be kept concentric with the shaft in any suitable manner for instance by means of guide pins or rollers 23 and in larger structures may be run on balls or rollers or in slide-ways. It is advantageous to move each actuating mechanism or at least each group of actuating mechanisms by means of a separate engine or motor so that even if one engine or motor is injured the vessel can still be operated. In lieu of the cranks for adjusting the cylinders 10 sprocket wheels may be employed which are also coupled together by means of a chain drive so that the various mechanisms can be regulated together from a single station for instance from the bridge by the captain himself. In an electrical installation the means for actuating the said cylinders are arranged to work synchronously so as simultaneously to shift each cylinder exactly the same amount.

As already mentioned it is possible by shifting the operative zones of the paddles to make the same work only at right angles to the axis of the vessel and also to move the vessel broadside-on; in order in this case to diminish the resistance to movement as much as possible the keel may have, besides the openings 2, additional openings 24, or may be constructed after the manner of lattice work so as to allow the passage of water transversely of the vessel. If such openings are not provided the keel may be made hollow and the hollow chamber so provided may be used to contain ballast or may serve as a coal bunker.

The Window like openings may be closed by means of slides so that in examining or repairing the paddles it will not be necessary to dry-dock the vessel. For this purpose after closing the openings in the keel (the paddles which are less broad than the keel being brought into longitudinal position) the water is pumped out of these chambers so that one can pass through the hollow shaft 3, or through a man-hole in the vessels bottom into the interior of the chamber so as to make the necessary repairs etc.

As a special advantage of the new arrangement it may be mentioned that even for sudden reversal or stoppage of the vessel it is not necessary to stop the machinery. in the former case it is enough to turn the cylinder through an angle of 190 in order to shift the operative zone of the paddles; in the latter case the same adjustment is ellected in order to neutralize the kinetic energy of the vessel and then the actuating mechanism is set so that one apparatus serves to drive the vessel ahead and the other to drive the vessel astern 2". c. to neutralize each other. In order to keep the vessel at rest while the machinery continues in motion or to test the machinery without moving the vessel the following arrangement may also be employed. The shaft 25 which connects the cylinder 10 with the crank 19 is secured in a transverse piece 26 which carries two long pins 27 which are guided in a frame secured in the cylinder 10. If the shaft 25 is moved downward as is possible in the case illustrated when the crank 19 is brought into axial direction the lower ends of the pins 27 come into the path of the crank M- which at this time is working in the upper part of the groove whereby the shaft 3 is coupled with the cylinder 10 and the entire actuation of the paddles rendered inoperative. The paddles then retain the position shown in Fig. 3 in which they perform no useful work.

\Vith submarine vessels in which the diving and rising to the surface are not effected entirely by taking in or ejecting ballast but also by the aid of mechanical devices on each side of the vessel, two or more sets of paddles (as many as the number of driving paddles) are provided, of substantially the same construction as above described (Fig. 5), the actuation of which is preferably obtained from the bevel gear 5, said bevel gear engaging with gears 29 each mounted on a horizontal shaft 30 passing through the side of the vessel, and coupled with and uncoupled from said shaft in any suitable manner. At the outer ends of said shafts paddles 7 are provided which can be adjusted by means of a cylinder 10 in the manner previously described. Preferably the cylinders of all the sets of side paddles, or those on the same side are positively coupled, in order to control all such devices from one point.

In diving or rising in a strictly vertical direction the side members only are allowed to operate, and the propelling members are temporarily rendered inoperative. If the side members and propelling members are operated at the same time the vessel will dive or ascend in an inclined direction. So far as it may be desired to make very sudden alterations in the position of the vessel, the side members may be arranged by adjusting the corresponding cylinders to assist in the operation of propelling the vessel, whether for forward or rearward movement and can also be used as auxiliary rudders. If one set of side paddles is caused to work forwardly and the other rearwardly the same will assist considerably in turning the vessel without moving it from its position.

Having now described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with a vessel having a keel, the keel provided with window-like openings, of vertical shafts the lower ends 0 which project into the keel, a horizontal tubular guide carried by each of the vertical shafts, a spindle rotatably arranged within each of said guides, feathering paddles mounted on each of said spindles, and adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane within said openings, and controlling devices for varying the feathering movement of said paddles comprising a cylinder arranged over the upper end of each of the said vertical shafts and concentric therewith and having a slot in its wall, a horizontally-arranged tubular guide carried by each of the vertical shafts within the cylinder, a horizontally-arranged rotatable crank mounted within each of said horizontal tubular guides, the outer ends of said cranks lying within the slot of the respective cylinder, an arm on each of the cranks within each vertical shaft, arms on each of the paddle spindles, and rods connecting the arms on the cranks with the arms on the paddle spindles, and means for rotating the vertical shafts.

2. The combination with a vessel having a keel, the keel provided with window-like openings, of vertical shafts the lower ends of which project into the keel, a horizontal tubular guide carried by each of the vertical shafts, a spindle rotatably arranged within each of said guides, feathering paddles mounted on each of said spindles, and adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane, said paddles fitted in certain of such openings, and controlling devices for varying the &

feathering movement of said paddles comprising a cylinder arranged over the upper I end of each of the said vertical shafts and concentric therewith and having a slot in its wall, a horizontally-arranged tubular guide carried by each of the vertical shafts within the cylinder, a horizontally-arranged rotatable crank mounted within each of said horizontal tubular guides, the outer ends of said cranks lying within the slot of the respective cylinder, an arm on each of the cranks within each vertical shaft, arms on each of the paddle spindles, and rods connecting the arms on the cranks with the arms on the paddle spindles, and means for rotating the vertical shafts.

3. The combination with a vessel having a keel, said keel being provided with'windowdles mounted on each of said spindles and adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane within said openings, and controlling devices for varying the feathering movement of said paddles comprising a cylinder arranged over the upper end of each of the said vertical shafts and concentric therewith and having a slot in its wall, a horizontally-arranged tubular guide carried by each of the vertical shafts within the cylinder, a horizontally-arranged rotatable crank mounted within each of said last-mentioned horizontal tubular guides, the outer ends of said cranks lying within the slot of the respective cylinders, an arm on each of the cranks within each vertical shaft, arms on each of the paddle spindles, rods connecting the arms on the cranks with' the arms on the paddle spindles, means for rotating the vertical shafts, and means for shifting said cylinders in an angular direction.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses J OSEF SINGIO. Witnesses:

WILHELM BERGER, ROBERT W. HEINGARTNER. 

